Best things to do in Orange Beach

Orange Beach dolphin and whale watching excursions provide an ideal way to sail the placid waters of the Gulf of Mexico and spot a range of native land and marine animals. Pick your favorite time of the day and the most appealing watercraft--boat, jet ski, or kayak--and prepare to meet the underwater community of some of the most intelligent marine creatures in the world. Exploring with an informative guide, you'll learn about their eating and breeding habits and have plenty of chances to capture their acrobatic stunts on camera. Most tours last from 90 minutes to 3 hours.

Explore the timeless beauty of the Butterfly Garden, the mystical Freshwater Marshes and the Coastal Hardwood Swamps. Catch a glimpse of a Bobcat on the Twin Bridges or a White Tailed Deer on Gulf Oak Ridge. View an Alligator basking in the sun and be sure to bring your camera to capture the adventure.

The Trail was named after Mr. Hugh S. Branyon who put in 33 years as director of the Alabama Gulf State Park in Gulf Shores, Alabama. He started working at the park as a teenager and fell in love with the Gulf State Park. He met with Orange Beach City officials and had the vision to allow the City to go after grants to turn old service roads into a trail system. He is greatly missed.

Enjoy white sand beaches, three lakes, an 18-hole golf course, and a network of hiking and biking trails at Gulf State Park. The park combines unspoiled nature with amenities, such as restaurants and Wi-Fi coverage. For longer stays, you can rent a cabin or a cottage with a fully equipped kitchen, satellite television, and fishing pier. If you want to camp with a tent or an RV, the park offers campgrounds with running water, sewage facilities, electricity, picnic tables, and grills. If you prefer to be surrounded by unspoiled nature, primitive camping sites are also available. Make reservations via telephone, and check online for discounts.

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Gulf State Park Fishing Pier attracts avid anglers, as well as tourists interested in seeing marine life. Opened in 2009 to replace the original pier destroyed by Hurricane Ivan in 2004, the newly rebuilt pier features indoor seating and a retail shop for stocking up on bait and tackle. At 470 m (1,540 ft) long, the pier is the largest on the Gulf of Mexico, offering you more space to fish and look for sea life down below. Watch sharks, stingrays, and jellyfish swimming underneath you and keep an eye out for pelicans and cranes flying nearby.